The Mount Vineyard, Kent: A Hidden English Vineyard in the Darent Valley
Nestled in the rolling countryside of the Darent Valley, just a few miles north of Sevenoaks, The Mount Vineyard is one of Kent's most quietly celebrated English wine estates. A family-run vineyard and restaurant built around a 104-acre estate, The Mount produces still and sparkling wines from eight grape varieties across 10 acres of vines, alongside a year-round all-weather Courtyard Restaurant, a working farm kitchen, a 15th-century sister pub, a wine and gift shop, and a packed calendar of seasonal events. Despite its rural setting, the estate sits within an hour of London by train, making it a favourite weekend escape for casual diners, wine lovers, couples tying the knot and corporate teams looking to get out of the boardroom.
A hidden gem on the edge of London
The Mount has earned its reputation as a “hidden gem” by design. Tucked away in the quintessentially English village of Shoreham - a village that also boasts three lovely pubs, an aircraft museum and a Norman church - the vineyard is approached down a tree-lined glade between a bungalow and a large white house on Church Street. Many visitors choose to arrive by train and on foot: Shoreham (Kent) station is a brisk 10-minute stroll through the churchyard and is only 9 minutes from Sevenoaks, around 20 minutes from Bromley South, and about 40 minutes from London. The M25 is just 15 minutes away by car, and free parking is available on site. The postcode for sat-navs is TN14 7SD.
The Darent Valley has been associated with the vine for almost two thousand years. Roman-era evidence suggests wine was produced here in antiquity, but the modern estate began life in 2004, when almost 13,000 vines were planted across seven varieties: Pinot Noir, Rondo, Regent, Bacchus, Seyval Blanc, Phoenix and Siegerrebe. Winemaking began in 2008 and the doors opened to guests in 2016. In 2011, current owner Simon Greenwood bought the property and added two further acres of Chardonnay, taking The Mount to 8 grape varieties and 10 fully productive acres of vines. Today Simon and his wife Sarah, who married at the vineyard in September 2019, run the estate as a family home as well as a thriving hospitality business, alongside a team of more than 40 staff.
The terroir
The Mount is unusual for its chalky soils - a feature more commonly associated with the great vineyards of the Champagne region of northern France than with the clay-driven landscapes usually associated with English wine. According to the team, the chalk subsoil allows the vines to flourish while the local micro-climate promotes the slow, even ripening of the grapes. The result, they say, is fruit that reaches optimum levels of both ripeness and acidity - the holy grail of English sparkling-winemaking.
Where to eat: the Courtyard Restaurant and Bar
The estate's gastronomic centrepiece is the Courtyard Restaurant, an all-weather dining room with a fully retractable roof, bi-fold doors and underfloor heating. In summer the roof slides back to let the sun pour in; in winter the heating keeps things toasty while guests enjoy the same vista over the vines. The menu, led since autumn 2023 by Head Chef Harrison Paice, draws on small-batch British cheeses (including Blacksticks Blue, Oxford Isis and Barber's Cheddar), locally sourced fruit, vegetables and breads, and pairs them with both English and international wines alongside The Mount's own still and sparkling range.
Expect stone-baked pizzas, sharing platters and small plates, local sparkling pressés from Kingsdown in Kent, estate tea from Birchall's and a small but considered spirits list from local distilleries. A vegan sharing board is also available, and the restaurant is dog-friendly in guest areas (on leads). The Courtyard is open Wednesday to Saturday from 12pm to 11pm (kitchen until 9.30pm) and Sundays from 12pm to 6pm (kitchen until 5pm). For tables of 6 or more, the team asks guests to email sales@themountvineyard.co.uk or call 01959 524008; for 7 or more a £10 per-person non-refundable deposit is required; for 10 or more the minimum spend is £35 per head on food and drink; and for 15 or more a pre-order is needed at least a week in advance.
The Wine Deck, Flint Bar & Tipi and outdoor spaces
Just steps from the restaurant, the Wine Deck overlooks a large pond with Rondo and Pinot Precoce vines stretching east - picnic benches are first-come, first-served and dogs are very welcome. Beyond the Pond Garden sits the Flint Bar & Nordic Tipi, an al-fresco bar among the vines with views towards the Shoreham Cross. The tipi is open in good weather between May and mid-September and is the estate's signature summer hangout, with the option of private weekend hire (more on that below). The Oak Terrace - with its own bespoke retractable roof and sides - borders the orchard and vegetable patch and is the summer home of The Mount's wine tastings.
Wines and the Ten Acres Shop
Although The Mount does not have a winery on site, the team works continuously with growers and producers, tasting wines in vats, barrels and bottles to determine their readiness. The result is an “award-winning range” of still and sparkling wines made from estate-grown grapes. All wines in the range are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Wines, gifts, local produce and spirits are sold at Ten Acres, The Mount's on-site wine and gift shop, which opened in August 2020. Ten Acres is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm and serves hot drinks and pastries on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 3pm. A short walk from the shop sits The Samuel Palmer, the estate's 15th-century sister pub in Shoreham village, twice AA Rosetted and voted Best Destination Pub in Kent in 2023, offering a seasonal fine-dining menu and a partially private dining room for up to 18 seated or 30 standing.
Wine flights at the shop
Between May and September, still and sparkling wine flights are available at Ten Acres, from £10.95 per person - a relaxed way to sample the estate wines without booking. Flights are served 10am to 5pm, Wednesday to Sunday.
Wine tastings and vineyard experiences
Wine tastings are at the heart of a visit to The Mount. Two formats are available, all hosted in an informal but informative style with a cheeseboard and an introduction to the wider English wine industry.
Standard wine tasting - £35 per person
Available all year round on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 12:30 and 14:30, the standard tasting lasts approximately 1.5 hours and costs £35 per person. In summer it takes place on the al-fresco Oak Terrace; in winter it moves inside to the new tasting room in the Wine Loft above the restaurant, with its log burner and stairs access (the team is happy to discuss alternatives for guests who cannot manage the stairs). All tastings are strictly adult-only - under-18s cannot be accommodated.
Tour & Tasting Experience - £40 per person
From the end of May to the end of September, an additional 16:30 session adds a guided tour of the vineyard to the tasting. The Tour & Tasting lasts about 1.5 hours and costs £40 per person. Both formats can be pre-booked online and are popular as gift experiences.
Gift vouchers
Two tasting gift vouchers are available from the Ten Acres shop or online:
- £70 voucher - Wine tasting experience for two, including a tasting of three wines and a shared cheese board.
- £80 voucher - Everything above, plus a summer tour of the vines (redeemable between May and September, before harvest).
Vouchers are valid for 12 months from purchase and tastings can be booked online or by telephoning 01959 524008 option 1. Recipients are welcome to stay for lunch or dinner in the restaurant afterwards.
Eat, drink, then stay: festive and seasonal events
The Mount runs a packed programme of seasonal and one-off events, most of which are bookable via the Ten Acres shop or via the events team on events@themountvineyard.co.uk.
Friday Pilates in the Tipi
Every Friday between May and the end of August, the Nordic Tipi becomes a mat Pilates studio at 10.50am. The £40 package includes an hour of Pilates and £20 of credit to spend on food and drink afterwards (or on a wine flight at the Ten Acres Shop). Bring your own mat; transfers and cash alternatives aren't available.
Fruits & Berries Walk and Wine Flight
On Saturday 5th September, local guide Sarah Moon of the Kent Downs National Landscape leads a 2 to 2.5-hour foraging walk through the Darent Valley in search of blackberries, sloes, wild hazelnuts and seasonal herbs. Walkers meet at Ten Acres at 11am (walk departs at 11:15) before returning to the estate for a Mount Vineyard wine flight of two stills and two sparklings. The package costs £36.25 per person and the wine flight is served between 1.15pm and 1.30pm. Dogs on leads are welcome; arrive by train or on foot if possible.
Beer & Wine Festival (12th & 13th September)
The annual September sundowner at the Flint Bar and Nordic Tipi runs from 1pm to 6pm on both days. Tickets cost £39.50 per person and include a BBQ burger & slaw served between 1pm and 2.30pm: still-wine tickets include tokens for two 125ml glasses, while beer tickets include three schooners. Additional food from the grill is available from 2.45pm to 6pm for a surcharge. The event is for over-18s only and is non-refundable.
Comedy Nights in the Courtyard
Following the success of previous Comedy Nights, two further dates have been confirmed for 2026: Wednesday 7th October and Wednesday 11th November. Tables are bookable from 5.30pm; the show begins at 8.30pm with three top comedians and a host. Tickets are £21.50 per head, charged on booking. The evening is run on a fixed-table basis; there's no refund unless the table can be resold or the venue cancels.
Will Scott live in the Courtyard (15th October)
Royal College of Music-trained guitarist Will Scott returns to the Courtyard Restaurant on Thursday 15th October 2026 for three sets from 7pm, blending Spanish guitar with contemporary pop and Ibiza classics. A non-refundable music surcharge of £7.50 per head is added to bookings.
Lumos Candlelight: Music from the Movies
On Friday 4th September, the meadow at The Mount hosts another candlelit instrumental evening with Lumos Experiences: a string trio performing iconic music by Hans Zimmer and John Williams, surrounded by thousands of candles. Doors open at 5.30pm; last admission 6.45pm; finish by 9pm. Tickets, luxury snack boxes for two and additional wine are bookable directly through Lumos Experiences; the Courtyard Restaurant is open as usual beforehand. The event is for over-18s only and is geared to a by-train-or-on-foot arrival.
Charlotte Tilbury Brush-along Masterclass (11th November)
A festive Charlotte Tilbury Masterclass in the Wine Loft on Wednesday 11th November, run by Charlotte Tilbury make-up artists and paired with a glass of sparkling wine, a sharing lunch in the restaurant and a £15 credit towards Charlotte Tilbury products on the day. Tickets cost £70 per person; morning arrivals are at 11.30am with lunch around 1.15pm, while afternoon arrivals come at 12.30pm for lunch before the 1.45pm masterclass and 3pm departure.
Christmas Party Nights (3rd, 4th, 10th & 11th December)
The courtyard twinkles into life for four Christmas Party Nights in December 2026. Tables are booked between 5.30pm and 8pm and are yours for the evening, with last orders at 11pm and carriages at 11.30pm. The cost is £65 per person, which includes a glass of fizz on arrival, a pre-ordered three-course meal, and DJ and dancing until 11pm. The 2026 menu is released in October; until then, the previous sample menu is available on request from the events team. Full payment is required on booking; tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Private hire and the Mount's many spaces
Eight distinct spaces, all on the same estate, can be hired for everything from intimate birthday lunches to full weekend takeovers. Enquiries go to events@themountvineyard.co.uk.
Flint Bar & Tipi - weekend private hire
Available between the end of May and mid-September, on Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm to 3pm (with the option to stay on afterwards once the space reopens to the public). Minimum 40 adults, maximum 70 guests including children. Pricing is £300 venue hire + £34.95 per person food and welcome drink + 12.5% service for the minimum 40 guests.
Courtyard Bar & Restaurant - exclusive hire
Outside peak season - October through March - the Courtyard is bookable for exclusive use on a limited number of evenings each year. Contact the events team for details.
The Canopy
A semi-private area facing the vines under a stretch tent, ideal for 20 - 35 guests on a sunny afternoon gathering.
The Wine Loft
A newly renovated first-floor meeting and conference room available for exclusive hire all year round, accommodating 28 seated (across 3 tables), 21 banquet-style, 16 boardroom and up to 35 standing. Half-day or evening hire costs from £295; full-day hire from £595. Tasting experiences start at £35 per head.
Weddings at The Mount
The Mount hosts weddings on Tuesdays, between the beginning of May and the end of September, on an exclusive-hire basis. The 104-acre estate - set within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the Darent Valley - has been described by the team as having “Southern French vibes”, with the vines providing a romantic backdrop for wedding photography. Couples can choose from several al fresco drinks-reception locations; the Courtyard with its retractable roof plays host to wedding breakfasts for up to 90 guests and then transforms into an evening party venue where guests can dance under the stars.
The estate neighbours the Grade I-listed St. Peter and St. Paul Church in Shoreham, where weddings have been celebrated for more than 900 years, and across from the church sits The Samuel Palmer, the 15th-century sister pub newly renovated by the team. Although The Mount is not licensed for civil ceremonies, the Oak Terrace - between the orchard and meadow - is one of the estate's most romantic settings for a humanist ceremony or blessing. Weddings are managed by Head of Events Emily Thompson (events@themountvineyard.co.uk). The 2027/2028 wedding brochure is available on request from the events team.
Corporate hire and team building
With its proximity to London and on-site parking, The Mount has become a popular offsite venue for companies looking to combine meetings with wine, food and fresh air. Four flavours of corporate day are available.
Year-round corporate venue hire - The Wine Loft
Available Wednesdays and Thursdays all year round, exclusive hire of the Wine Loft costs from £295 for half-day or evening use and £595 for a full day. A typical itinerary includes arrival at 9.30am with pastries and hot drinks, mid-morning meetings, a 12pm private tasting (£35 per head to start), an aperitif in the Courtyard Bar, a 1.30pm lunch, and carriages at 5pm (or a stroll across to The Samuel Palmer).
Summer corporate hire - Oak Terrace
During May to September, the Oak Terrace plays host to corporate events on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Exclusive hire starts at £375 (half day or evening) and £595 (full day). The space holds up to 20 delegates boardroom-style, 48 in an open-table layout and 60 standing. Tour-and-tasting experiences start at £40 per head. The Flint Bar & Tipi is also available as a private corporate space for up to 40 seated or 70 standing.
Corporate grape picking days
For a minimum of 20 guests, teams can join the harvest itself. Pricing, as advertised for the most recent corporate harvest, is £79.50 per person, including a light breakfast, mid-morning coffee, lunch with half a bottle of wine, a presentation from the Wine Manager and an additional glass of wine, plus meeting space. The format runs from morning grape-picking to a celebratory lunch, and guests can opt to extend the day with a walk over to The Samuel Palmer for 3- or 4-course fine dining.
Corporate gifting
Ten Acres can arrange individually wrapped bottles or gift hampers for guests to take home at the end of a visit or to be couriered as a surprise. The gifting team can pre-order bottles or take requests on the day, wrap and label them, and have them ready to go.
The viticulture course: "A Year in the Vineyard"
For the genuinely curious, the team runs a modular Viticulture Course, typically spread across the growing season. Each workshop pairs theory and practical work in the vines, finishing with refreshment in the restaurant - a pizza and a glass of The Mount's own wine. Recent workshops have covered grapevine physiology, pruning, tying down, shoot thinning, bud rubbing, frost protection, wire lifting and tucking in, planting, weed control, leaf stripping, green harvesting, vine nutrition, disease control, netting, bird protection and harvesting. Individual workshops cost £65 per person; booking is via email to tenacres@themountvineyard.co.uk.
Visitor information and FAQs
A few practical points worth knowing before you go.
- Dress code and children: The estate welcomes children for food and drink with their families, but there is no children's menu, and children must remain seated and supervised at all times because of the large on-site pond. Tastings, the candlelight concerts, comedy nights, Will Scott nights, Pilates classes and the masterclass are all over-18s only.
- Dogs: Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome in all guest areas, including the Wine Deck, Oak Terrace and courtyard.
- Food and drink: Only food and drink purchased on site may be consumed at the estate - no outside cakes, balloons or picnics.
- Parking: Free on-site parking is available next to Ten Acres; for larger or busy events visitors may be directed to a signposted field car park.
- Access: The Wine Loft is upstairs. Guests with mobility issues are asked to contact the team in advance for alternative arrangements.
- Ten Acres Shop: Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm. Hot drinks and pastries are served Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 3pm.
- Delivery: For wine ordered online, UK mainland delivery is £10 per case of 12 bottles (or part thereof). Scottish Highlands, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are subject to surcharges, and sales are UK-only, with export enquiries handled by email.
Book your visit
The Mount Vineyard, Church Street, Shoreham, Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 7SD. Telephone 01959 524008 (option 1 for restaurant bookings). General enquiries: sales@themountvineyard.co.uk. Events, weddings, private and corporate hire: events@themountvineyard.co.uk. Online bookings, tastings and gift vouchers: https://www.themountvineyard.co.uk/book/. Ten Acres shop: http://ten-acres-the-shop-at-the-mount-vineyard.myshopify.com/.
Whether you come for an hour-long tasting on the Oak Terrace, a long lunch of small plates and English sparkling under the retractable roof, a foraging walk with a glass of Pinot in hand, or a Christmas party with the vines sparkling outside the windows, The Mount is a quietly confident reminder that you don't have to fly to Champagne to find a great glass of English sparkling wine - a 40-minute train ride from London, a meander through a wheat field and a stroll up a tree-lined village lane will get you there.